Wellington County now has an emergency hotline available for motorists encountering turtles on the road. Launched by the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group in August, the hotline aims to address the high turtle mortality rate in the area. Sandy Nicholls, the group’s founder, emphasized the urgent need for the hotline due to the abundance of wetlands, gravel pits, and turtles in Wellington County.
Nicholls highlighted that the hotline was established to streamline the process of assisting stranded turtles, as many individuals previously contacted the group via social media without providing precise locations. The hotline operators ask specific questions to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of the stranded or injured turtle, particularly crucial during nesting season when male turtles are active in May and females in June.
The declining population of snapping turtles and painted turtles, the primary species in Wellington County, is a significant concern according to Nicholls. Factors contributing to this decline include road mortality, habitat loss, and illegal poaching. Snapping turtles are classified as a species at risk in Ontario, with painted turtles labeled as special concern federally due to the loss of approximately 70% of wetlands in southern Ontario over the past two centuries.
Nicholls emphasized the importance of contacting the hotline even if a turtle appears deceased or severely injured. Injured turtles are transferred to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for medical treatment, where they may undergo procedures such as the placement of pins and screws for rehabilitation. Additionally, if a deceased female turtle is found, it may still contain viable eggs that can be extracted, incubated, and released back into their natural habitat.
The Wellington Turtle Conservation Group not only responds to turtle calls but also engages in nest protection, hatchling care, and release operations to ensure the turtles’ well-being. Nicholls encouraged people to reach out to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre hotline for injured turtle sightings across the province.
For assistance from the Wellington Turtle Conservation Group hotline, individuals can call 226-906-7014.
